Osh Bazaar: A Living Chronicle of the Great Silk Road

The Osh Bazaar is the heart of one of Central Asia’s oldest cities, rightfully as ancient as Osh itself. While many contemporary markets have vanished or relocated, this ancient marketplace has remained true to itself, enduring through changing eras and governments, steadfastly situated on the picturesque bank of the Ak-Buura River.

By the late 19th century, the bazaar was already a powerful economic hub: local artisans, numbering over 8,000, offered their goods, and about 4,600 people were engaged in trade. By 1911, the bazaar’s infrastructure had expanded to include 1,300 specialized trading premises. The annual trade turnover of the Osh Bazaar, together with other city outlets, amounted to millions of Tsarist rubles—an astronomical sum for that time.

During the Soviet era, bazaars did not disappear but were skillfully integrated into the complex system of the planned economy, becoming known as «kolkhoz markets.» They were strictly categorized. The Osh Bazaar, classified as a mixed type, still retains this internal structure today, being clearly divided into major sections: a food section (where mountains of spices, dried fruits, and famous Osh bread sit alongside fresh vegetables from the Fergana fields), a clothing section (with carpets, skullcaps, and modern apparel), and a sports section (where one can find everything for the national wrestling «kurash» and the equestrian sport «kok-boru»).

A large-scale reconstruction in the 1980s turned the bazaar into one of the most modern in the USSR: its area reached 12 hectares with 1,750 trading spots, including 500 pavilions. The infrastructure featured a left-luggage office, six refrigeration chambers, and even its own hotel. It was during this time that the monumental arch at the central entrance was erected, which, unfortunately, is now partially hidden by later structures.

Despite all transformations, the Osh Bazaar remains an authentic Eastern marketplace, a city within a city. To truly experience its unique atmosphere, vibrant colors, and hospitable chaos, start your walk from the old entrance, which holds the memory of the thousands of generations of traders and customers who have passed through it.